As All Hallow’s Eve nears why settle for one ghastly story when you can experience three, four, five or ten? Here is our look at the best and some of the worst horror anthologies.
John Carpenter’s Body Bags
Chapters
Wrap Around:
John Carpenter does his best Creep Keeper immitation as The Coroner introducing each segment. The film features several familair faces from the horror genre as guest-stars including Tobe Hooper, Wes Craven, Robert Carradine, Sam Raimi, David Naughton, John Agar and Roger Corman.
The Gas Station
Near Haddonfield (see Carpenter’s Halloween) a college student begins her new job as an overnight gas station cashier, attendant. It just so happens a serial killer is on the loose. The best story of the bunch due to its twists and turns.
Hair
A middle-aged businessman frets about his hair loss so he agrees to undergo a new, experimental treatment. One of those “creepy” or “gross-out” segments. Takes way too long to get the point. The weakest story in the anthology.
Eye
Mark Hamill stars as a baseball player who loses his eye in a car accident. Another experimental treatment plot as Hamill receives the eye of a serial killer which drives him Cuckoo For Cocoa Puffs.
Overall: Although Carpenter is a bit awkward as The Coroner it is fun to see him in front of the camera instead of behind it. The anthology is hurt though by the choice of stories he included.
Watch on: Prime Video, Peacock, Darkside of the Internet, Freevue, Tubi.
Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors
Chapters
Wrap-Around
Dr. Terror’s has an ingenious wrap-around story involving the mysterious Doctor Schreck (Peter Cushing) who proceeds to tell the fortunes of other passengers aboard a train. The epilogue is brilliant.
Werewolf
A pretty straightforward tale of an architect who is commissioned to make renovations to a family home. He and others become a victim of a curse on the home with predictable results and ending.
Creeping Vine
A family home is terrorized by a living plant, vine growing outside the house. As the vines “sneak up” on their victims it takes a lot of willpower not to laugh out loud. A very amusing segment, perhaps unintentionally.
Voodoo
Like Werewolf a story that predictably runs its course. A jazz musician steals sacred voodoo music and pays the price for the offence.
Disembodied Hand
A revenge tale in which snobby art critic (Christopher Lee) is hounded by the dismembered hand of an artist years before Ashe had his own problems in Evil Dead. You will either be creeped out or have a few good laughs.
Vampire
A newly-married husband fears his wife is a vampire and seeks the advice of a local doctor. This one has a fun twist ending.
Overall: Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing sharing the same screen? What’s not to like. Although some of the effects and the stories are a bit dated Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors is a true underappreciated classic.
Watch On: Fubo, Darkside of the Internet.
Tales of Terror
Chapters
Wrap-Around
There is no overarching storyline. Instead, Vincent Price does some voice-over narration before each segment.
Morella
All of the segments here are based on the classic works of Edgar Allen Poe. Here, a woman returns to her family home to find her father still lamenting over his dead wife, whose body remains in her bed. A vengeful spirit causes all manner of mayhem.
The Black Cat
A mix of Poe’s The Black Cat and The Cask of Amontillado. A drunkered of a husband, played with great glee by Peter Lorre, employees a unique punishment on his cheating wife and her lover (Vincent Price).
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
A really odd story about hypnotism with an expected outcome.
Overall: This is worth watching just for the amusing Black Cat segment and Peter Lorre’s performance. Vince Price’s presence elevates all of the stories.
Watch On: Prime Video, Pluto TV, Darkside of the Internet.
Torture Garden
Chapters
Wraparound
A group of patrons are invited behind the scenes of a circus exhibit by Burgess Meredith who promises to led them through some phenomenal scares if they pay him some extra dough.
Enoch
A shady nephew exploits his dying uncle to uncover a fortune in coins.
Terror Over Hollywood
A budding movie star unravels a mystery on the set of her new film.
Mr. Steinway
A jealous, possessed grand piano tries to drive the “competition” for the heart of its owner.
The Man Who Collected Poe
Jack Palance and Peter Cushing unite for this story a two competing Poe collectors.
Overall: Another anthology taken from the stories of Robert ‘Psycho’ Bloch. As odd and crazy as it sounds the piano story works really well and the Poe segment is a classic. The rest are okay.
Watch On: Fubo, Amazon Prime, Darkside of the Internet.
The House That Dripped Blood
Chapters
Wraparound
Police investigate the disappearance of a movie star and discover that the house in which he lived has a very eerie past.
Method for Murder
A horror writer’s novel comes to life with twist after twist.
Waxworks
Peter Cushing becomes obsessed with a wax museum display until he discovers the horrible truth.
Sweets to the Sweet
A live-in nanny, teacher becomes entwined in the bizarre relationship between a daughter and her father.
The Cloak
A horror actor’s cape unexpectedly transforms him into a vampire. The actor is Jon Pertwee from Dr. Who.
Overall: Most of the stories are taken from horror comics. Sweets and Method are strong but Cloak and Waxworks are overdrawn and lame.
Watch On: Crackle, Freevue, Plex, Pluto TV, Scream Box, Tubi.
From Beyond the Grave
Chapters
Wraparound
Peter Cushing is the owner of an antiques shop. He sells rather unique items to his clients.
The Gatecrasher
A tale about a spirit trapped in an ancient mirror who coerces its owner to kill for him.
An Act of Kindness
A former military man whose homelife is utter crap befriends another solider (Donald Pleasence) and his daughter (played by Pleasence’s real daughter Angela) who are not all they appear to be.
The Elemental
A psychic helps a skeptic rid himself of an evil spirit.
The Door
A husband purchases a decorative door which unbenowst to him leads to another dimension.
Overall: The first story is the strongest. The other two just play themselves out without any real shocks or big surprises.
Watch On: Prime Video, Darkside of the Internet
Tales from the Crypt
Chapters
Wraparound
While on a sight seeing tour a group of tourists take a detour with The Crypt Keeper.
…And All Through the House
This story was also adapted in The Tales From The Crypt series. A psycho Santa stalks a family.
Reflection of Death
A cheating husband finds himself the victim of a car accident.
Poetic Justice
Snotty stuffed shirts harass their kind, old neighbour.
Wish You Were Here
The wishes of a ruthless businessman and his wife go horribly wrong.
Blind Alleys
A home of the blind teaches their new manager a lesson.
Overall: Amicus and director Freddie Francis team-up for one of the very best anthology movies which inspired others like Creepshow.
Watch On: Crackle, Plex and Tubi.
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